Under the tutorage of JUCHKO. Takes place after Volume 6. Summary: An aquaintance of Sylth's attempts to blindly carry out his will and eventually comes to understand the mystery behind his disappearance. Please Review.

"Okay, item number one, I really, really want my diary back," Sylthfarn's voice echoed in my head, as visions of us sitting across from one another at a table, in a darkening hotel room, at sunset played along. I remember having been incredibly nervous being in the presence of the great Master Wizard, but there was no way I was admitting that, being my stubborn self and all.

That's why I replied, "A diary…seriously? What'd you write in there? Some girl's name all decorated with hearts?"

"Nothing more fabulous than that," he replied. "Still, it'd be a really big pain in my ass should a certain Hahze friend of mine—or any other of my friends for that matter— were to ever read it."

Pain in my ass, I had found myself thinking. I guess he's not what you'd call prim and proper, swearing in front of a lady and perfect stranger like that.

"And I take it that's all you're going to say about that?" I wondered. He grinned impishly and gave a small nod. "Okay, so how do I even go about getting your diary back?"

"The palace is always looking for more maids," he commented. "Just get a job as one there and then I'll be sure to tell you all about the secret room."

"The secret room…right," I murmured. "Look, I know you don't realize this, seeing how we just met and all, but I happen to be engaged to one of the most well-to-do men from Caldia. I'm not about to become a maid."

Sylthfarn laughed out loud at the comment, and then through breaths, explained, "Of course I know that, Miss Dahlia. You didn't think I just plucked you out of some random crowd, did you?"

I couldn't have possibly expected much else, considering how we met—just the two of us, alone in some hotel pub in the middle of nowhere and who had just happened to strike up casual conversation.

Then again, I considered, he is the Master Wizard.

"Besides," he continued, "I never said I wanted you to do it tomorrow. In fact, I would prefer that you wait a while."

"I…don't understand," I said. "First you say it's incredibly urgent that you get your diary back and now you're telling me to wait it out? What if someone reads it?"

"Oh, I'm sure they will, assuming they can get past the spells I put on it," he commented.

"Now I'm really lost," I stated.

"Trust me, you'll get it…someday," he chuckled. I just rolled my eyes and asked myself just what the hell I was getting myself into. "Okay, so item number two, I want you to deliver these letters."

"Letters?" I murmured, as he handed me a stack of six unsealed envelopes. The top one was addressed to a Mel, the second a Seraphia, the third Fern, Yue, Glenn, and then Vaith. "I don't know who any of these people are."

"Oh you will," he replied gleefully. "And finally, item number three—are you any good with costume make-up?"

"C-costume makeup…?"

…

"Well, Sylth…I don't suppose six years is long enough for you, is it?" I murmured to myself as I sat on the steps outside the courthouse. It was all I could do to keep myself from crying and so I found myself staring down at a crinkled old memo that simply read "Diary/Letters". I hadn't looked at the thing even once in all this time, but I'd always kept it close at hand in my purse (the letters still sat safely in my jewelry box as well). It'd had come to mind as I was now ripped apart from my old life and apparently free as a bird.

"Now, Mrs. Young, while I realize you have been the primary caregiver of your children, I cannot ignore the fact that you signed a prenuptial agreement, are jobless, and therefore have absolutely no money to your name. And until you start making a decent income for yourself, I'm afraid I have to grant sole custody to your husband. This court is adjourned," I just couldn't get the sound of the judge's voice or the pounding of that gavel out of my mind.

"That job at the palace is starting to sound better and better," I choked. "I wonder…did you know this was going to happen? Did you know my husband was a rat? Or…did you just bear ill will towards me?"

Of course I didn't seriously believe that last bit, but I thought making a little joke about the situation would help lighten my mood. Unfortunately, all talking was doing in general was bringing on the tears.

Well, whatever the case, I need a job. How do I even go about getting one at the palace, though? It's…it's hopeless…, I allowed myself to think.

"Come on, cut this shit out," I told myself. "They've been living with Tina and Phil for a whole month now. Get over it…they're gone. There's only one thing left in this world for me and that's Sylth's will."

I didn't know how I was going to make things work, but I did know that should I not pursue this "mission" that I would be nothing but miserable for the rest of my life. I knew, meanwhile, though that I couldn't just wait around for things to happen. I at least had to get a temporary job—somewhere, anywhere—and fast if I expected to be able to eat that week. So, even though I didn't even want to get out of my bed, I was up bright and early the next morning looking for just that.

"The dog ra-runs th-th-row-row—

"…through…"

"Through the pa-ark," I happened to overhear a little boy reading a little picture book and the voice of a sweet young man helping him along the way. I had been standing at a fruit stand on the next block over, begging the owner to give me work, while he continued to just push me away and mutter about how he had no work for me. I, could, however, easily hear the voices of the man, the boy, and several other children carrying through the alley connecting the two streets. Having decided I was little more curious about this than I was with continuing to harass the poor man, I stepped into the alley and stood in the shadows as I continued to listen, thinking of my own daughter, who about the boy's age, all the while.

They children were gathered around a small table, with the young man sitting in a chair beside them with his back to me. I had to stifle a giggle, as I thought it was rather silly for a grown man to have a ribbon in his hair.

He slid the book from in front of the little boy over to a little girl just then, who gracefully read the next sentence, "He jumped into the pond."

I could just tell the man was beaming as he slid the book over to another child and exclaimed, "You're all doing so well."

I also couldn't help but notice how familiar his voice sounded. I couldn't place it, though, and it was driving me insane.

"He scared the fish," another girl read the next part. I was hoping he'd give her some personal words of praise, but unfortunately he didn't say anything further except for the occasional helping word althroughout the rest of the book. In the end it only took them roughly fifteen minutes to finish it, but it felt like an eternity as I waited to hear the teacher's voice again.

I did eventually get my wish, but it was unfortunately in the way I wanted the least. Just as he leaned over in his chair to get another book from his bag, a little boy pointed to me and asked, "Who's that lady? She's been standing there a long time!"

I started to retreat, but he turned faster than I could disappear. And when our eyes finally did meet, I was not only flabbergasted, but undoubtedly beat red as well. Thankfully, the lack of light in the alley not only concealed this, but all my facial features in general.

Glenn approached me warily and asked me if there was something he could help me with.

"Nah-no, I'm cool…really," I insisted, and once again tried to make my escape.

He proved to be far quicker than I once again, though, as he hesitantly whispered, "Lila?"

Knowing there would be no turning back now, I sheepishly stepped out of the alley to present myself and confirm his hunch. He murmured, "So…it is you."

"Mr. Glenn! Is this a friend of yours, Mr. Glenn?" The children suddenly all exclaimed and started gathering around me. I have to say, I was as excited to be around them as they were to be around me.

"Hi there," I grinned, "What are you names?"

"Bobby, James, Lisa, Susie…" I heard a jumble of names come out all at once and then in unison they all asked me, "What's your name? Are you a friend of Mr. Glenn's?"

"I'm Dahlia," I replied. "And, yes, I suppose you could say I'm a friend of Mr. Glenn's." I looked at Glenn as I was saying this. He smiled and nodded.

The children continued to ask me more and more questions, more questions than I could answer or keep up, so Glenn stepped in to shoo them away. "Alright, everyone," he spoke, "considering you've all done so well today, I'm going to let you play for the remainder of our time together."

The children all cheered and then settled down on the ground in little circles with their closets friends. Meanwhile, Glenn approached me and asked, "So, how are you doing, Lila?"

"I've been better," I admitted with a nervous laugh. "Ah…but that's life, I guess."

"Oh, really?" he asked sadly. "What's going on?"

I just shook my head and said, "You really don't want to hear about my problems."

Don't tell me that the same guy that broke up with me to enter the priesthood is now going to be my savior? Oh, the irony…, I thought.

"I'm…I'm going through a divorce right now," I took a deep breath in attempt to keep myself from crying. "And yesterday morning I lost custody of my kids."

"I'm so sorry," he replied. He paused for a moment and then said, "Ah…so that's why you were watching us."

I just nodded.

"Well," he continued, "You know you'd be welcome to join us whenever you have time. It'd be kind of nice to have another adult with me anyways, considering I tend to get a large number of children to work with every now and then. You…are a teacher, right? That's what you were going to school for?"

"Actually, I had to quit school because, I, uh…I had to get married," I felt my cheeks flushing a little bit again. "And you know how well that turned out. In the end I lost not only my husband, but the baby as well."

"I'm sorry," he said again. It seemed that was all he could say.

"So…here you are asking me to help with your tutoring and you don't even know why I lost custody of my kids," I stated a bit teasingly.

"It's nice to know someone thinks I can take care of my own kids," I sighed. "How can I blame them, though? I'd never feel comfortable having them around considering I'm dead broke and don't have job."

"Ah…you know, we're always looking for more maids at the palace," I suddenly heard a very familiar tune. "I could probably get you a job there."

As shocked as I was to hear this, I was even more shocked to just hear he was associated with the palace. Glenn… "Glenn"…no way, it can't be. This can't be that Glenn…Sylth's friend.

"Ha-how would you be able to that?" I questioned.

He just laughed, patted my shoulder, and said, "I work at the palace, silly."

Sylth and I were standing on an abandoned porch in a nearby ghost town. We were seeking shelter from the pouring rain.

"I want thank you for all your help," he said.

"Sa-sure," I replied.

He stayed silent for a moment and then shrugged and murmured, "Well, I guess it's starting to let up. I should try to get going."

He started down the steps, but I immediately cried, "Wait!"

He turned back around and asked, "Yes?"

"I still don't get what you want me to do with your diary or these letters!" I exclaimed.

"I told you…get the diary and deliver the letters. Just wait until the right time," he stated.

"The right time for the letters too…when will that even be?" I wondered.

"Well, I don't want you just randomly handing them off as you meet them all," he explained. "But trust me, you'll know what do!"

I started to say more, but he silenced me with a wave of his hand. Then, after giving me a little wink, he took a deep breath and took off into the storm. That was the last time I ever saw him. The next morning, a newspaper announced how he was tragically rolled over by a carriage just out the blue.

Of course, I do know more than a little something about that…

The author would like to thank you for your continued support. Your review has been posted.